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Arranmore News

Important News Featuring Grand Craic!

To be listed on our Arranmore Chicago event mailing list please e-mail us with your name and full address.

Summer 2007

Law and Order on Arranmore

An Garda Síochána or "The Guardians of the Peace" have set up shop on Arranmore Island. It appears there are two Garda officers stationed in a B&B on the Island to preserve law and order. No this is not a Fr. Ted episode. It is unclear how long they will remain, but our sources tell us at least through the summer.

June 2007

ARAN LIFEBOAT CREW HONOURED

On Wednesday June 27, 2007 the Chairman of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution arrived on Arranmore Island to pay tribute to the crew of the lifeboat. He presented a Letter of Thanks Inscribed on Vellum to Coxwain Anton Kavanagh and to all the crew on behalf of the RNLI.

In July 2005 a one-armed English yachtsman, Keith White, was sailing alone round Ireland when he was caught in a fierce storm 40 miles off Tory Island on the north west coast. The yacht overturned several times. The weather was too bad for rescue helicopters to leave the ground. After 19 hours Keith White and his yacht arrived at Burtonport Harbor. The tow rope had broken several times and each time the re-connection to the lifeboat was achieved in the midst of great danger to all. Mr. White was brought to Letterkenny Hospital with back and rib injuries.

Keith White attended the presentation on Arranmore and once again tendered his heartfelt thanks to the brave island volunteers. He plans to sail single-handed around Ireland and Britain in a bigger boat.

October 2006

Arranmore Development

820,000 EU has been made available for the islands off the Donegal coast. This money is to improve roads, piers, water treatment. Arranmore is to get 170,000 EU for these purposes and a further 70,000 EU for playground facilities.

Donegal Association

The new President of the Donegal Association in the Chicago land area is John J. O'Donnell. His wife, Patricia, is the Treasurer. John is also President of the Arranmore Society in Chicago which he founded in 2004.

John's great grandfather was Charles O'Donnell from Kincasslagh who moved to the island on marrying Hannah Boyle in 1896.

September 2006

We just received word that The Arranmore Co-op has a new manager. Local girl, Noreen Maloney (nee Boyle) came back to the island from Leeds, England in 1999. (Reprinted from the Donegal Domain www.donegaldomain.com).

June 2006

After ten months of waiting our family was able to complete the purchase of a lovely house in Ballintra, Arranmore Island.

The St. Barbara which is the largest known Galway Hooker ever built is currently sailing from Chicago to County Galway, Ireland arrival expected in late June, 2006. The St. Barbara was built and is owned by Steve Mulkerrins from County Galway, Ireland now living in Chicago, Illinois.

The St. Barbara was built in Chicago by Steve Mulkerrins. It took Steve over 3 years to build with the majority of the wood imported from Ireland. On June 4th, 2004 Chicago's Mayor Daley christened the St. Barbara at Chicago's Montrose harbor. The St. Barbara is named for Steve's mother who resides in County Galway, Ireland.

December 2005 News
Courtesy of The Donegal Domain

TONY GALLAGHER RETIRES

After 25 years as Manager of Arranmore Co-Op, Tony Gallagher has decided to retire. Tony has been at the centre of most activities on the island for more than thirty years.

He was instrumental in setting up the Development Association. He got the first Group Water Scheme going in 1975. That cost an enormous £190,000. It was so in 1975. Road improvements, tarring, electricity, a medical centre, a day centre, a holiday village -- all have come as a result of acumen and drive of the Co-Op Manager. The Co-Op now has eight employed.

Tony can now relax. He has achieved very much for the island and the islanders.

November 2005 News

THE ARRANMORE DISASTER 1935

On the 9th of November 1935 a great tragedy occurred, 19 Arranmore people were drowned. The 70th anniversary was commemorated with a ceremony at the spot where the boat went down. Parish Priest of the Kincasslagh parish, Fr Pat Ward, himself a native of Arranmore, led the prayers on board the lifeboat. Phil Boyle then threw a wreath of flowers on the sea.

On the Saturday evening in 1935 a boat left Arranmore for Burtonport to meet a crowd of mainly young people coming from Scotland. They had been in Scotland since early summer working on farms. There was no work in Donegal or in Ireland in those days. There was no third level education available for the vast majority of children in rural Ireland. The people were very poor so all had to go out at an early age to help the family income. They had to emigrate to Scotland where farm work was available. Most of them would have been tatie hoking --gathering potatoes, and when the farm work season ended at the end of October, they returned home.

When the boat set off for Arranmore, it was dark, it was foggy. It seems that fairly close to the island the boat hit a rock. When daylight came, only one of the twenty who had left Burtonport was alive. Young Patrick Gallagher had gripped his father and his brother until they slipped away. Patrick was seen clinging to the upturned boat to which he had clung for fifteen hours. The alarm was raised. The bodies were taken ashore. The missing were found by the end of the day.
All those drowned were neighbors, most were related.
One woman lost her husband, four sons and two daughters. Another family lost three members.

There was nationwide sympathy for those from Donegal who were forced to emigrate to earn their living. Seventy years on the situation has not changed much. The people from Arranmore still have to emigrate. Not now to gather potatoes; farming systems have moved on. Now it could be to England, America or the Southern Hemisphere. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

ARANMORE ISLAND HOOLEY!

FUN, FUN, FUN
AND ONLY FUN!

Sunday, October 23rd 2005

5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Irish American Heritage Center
5th Province
4226 N. Knox Chicago, IL

Live Music by:
Joe McShane and Jerry Carey

Please join us for a great evening of fun on Sunday, October 23 rd at the 5 th Province. Dancing starts at 5 pm. And goes until 9 p.m.

Admission is $10 with a cash bar

Tea and Soda Bread will be served

Lots of fun for young and old. Everyone is welcome.

For more information call

Mike Boyle (847) 318-6417 or

John O’Donnell (773) 294-7226

Chicago North Side and Gaelic Park

Gaelige/Gaelic/Irish Language Classes

Beginning June 6th to June 30th

Individual and group classes now forming

Do you have an interest in Irish language and culture? Are you a beginner or do you have the “cuplafocal”and want to brush up and get better? Did you always want that crash course by a Gaeltacht teacher? Now is your chance! These classes will deal with everyday conversation, basic grammar, slang, the history of the Irish language and its place within Irish culture.

Maitiu de Hal is coming over to teach. He is currently studying for a degree in the language from National University of Ireland – Galway. He grew up and is living in a Gaeltacht (Gaelic speaking region). He is the Oifigeach na Gaelige (Irish language officer) for the N. U. I., the Galway Students Union and is a member of An Chumann Dramaiachta (Irish drama society). Maitiu also hosts a University Gaelic radio show every week in Ireland.

To sign up or for information, contact Michael or Cathie Boyle at (847)318-6417 or (773)525-9030

e-mail: michaeljosephb@hotmail.com for additional information.

Arranmore gets new ambulance (RTÉ News)

* On August 26th, 2004 the St. Barbara which is the largest known Galway Hooker ever built sailed after being displayed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from Milwaukee to Beaver Island, Michigan. The voyage from Milwaukee to Beaver Island took approximately 29 hours through a fierce storm. The St. Barbara will be on display on Beaver Island until sailing to Newfoundland Canada where she will be on display until her voyage to Galway Ireland in the summer of 2005. The St. Barbara was built and is owned by Steve Mulkerrins from County Galway, Ireland now living in Chicago, Illinois.

Beaver Island is the twin Island of Arranmore Island County Donegal Ireland. Upon reaching Beaver Island at approximately 1:00 A.M. the crew of five from the St. Barbara of which I John O'Donnell the author was fortunate enough to be a part of was welcomed wholeheartedly by Beaver Island islanders waiting for the St. Barbara's arrival. The crew was then treated superbly until departing on Sunday August 29th leaving the St. Barbara on display on Beaver Island until the voyage to Newfoundland.

Steve Mulkerrins and the crew who traveled to Beaver Island cannot thank the many Islanders enough who opened up their homes to the crew and treated them to a fabulous weekend after many hours of traveling through rough waters.

* On Wednesday September 15, 2004 I along with a crew of seven additional people including a writer and a cameraman sailed the St. Barbara to Montreal Canada sailing through all of the Great Lakes as well as going through the Welland locks. This was no minor feat as we sometimes sailed through fierce winds and high waves sailing for the most part 24 hours a day. We arrived in Montreal on Friday, September 24th after a long and grueling voyage. The worst part of our voyage was running out of Irish tea. Sailing the St. Barbara to Ireland will be no picnic. This trip for me was one of the most fulfilling things that I will do in my life. It's very hard to express it in words but everyone that was with me will understand.

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